Panzer V
The Panzer V, "Wespe", is a Cybran light armoured tank (LAT) in the Cybran Heer with the main variant of the tank using an autocannon or a tank destroying light cannon, firing HEAT shells specially designed for the Tank combat seen on planet around the Cybran Nation. Design The Panzer V was orginally designed for the areas which the Panzer IV could not get to, and to act as a light scouting tank to help Artillery or Tank Destroyers, like the JagdPanzer IV, and also to provide light lfire support for infantry. With the main gun either a heavy autocannon (which can not be carried by infantry) or a light tank destroyer cannon, the pathway for the Panzer V was to support other vehicles or the infantry, so classes as a light tank but also a all round support tank. Engine The engine, a 16-cylinder Nightoa 170 TRMI V16 (9000PS/5000HP) was designed in the early stages of the tanks development, causing a new set of engines to be created, all for different proposes. Even though the 170 TRMI V16 was designed in the early stages of development, the engine is still used currently along with a small number of more powerful engines. With the engine, the tank can reach 67 miles per hour on rough terrain, and around 70 miles per hour on roadways. Weaponry The main gun which is used for most of the Cybran Panzer Vs is the StuK 896 (120MM) light tank destroyer weapon, but for the infantry support weapons, the RARDEN autocannon, which can fire a maximum of 60 rounds per minute to provide a rate of fire capable of ripping building apart of ripping small vehicles apart. A secondary weapon of 2 × MJ67 makes the tank capable of ripping apart infantry if they get too close. The technology on the tank in ables the crew to be inside the tank and still fire the MJ67. The MJ67 has a rate of fire of around 500 rounds per minute, proving they are very capable of destroying infantry and with range of just under a mile, these weapons are ones to be feared. One of the MJ67s is co-axial meaning it can cover if the main weapon is destroyed or jammed, and the other as mounted on top of the turret, meaning it can support any other advance that the turret can not cover. Testing The testing of the Panzer V showed that it was a very able vehicle, with the training quick and easy to do for each placement, the designs orginally went for a four man crew until the drivers told the designers that it was not possible for them to drive the tank and talk on the radio, so the designers shifted seats around to be able to safety sit a fifth man in comfort within the vehicle. The testing also showed that it was a capable Infantry support tank and recon vehicle. Variants Like the Panzer IV, the Panzer V has a number of variants, all armed differently, and tested for different tasks. As the testing continued the variants became a much more wider range of abilities the tank had, ranging from Recon, the Tank support. Recon (Ausf A1) The recon abilities of the Panzer V was the main design of the tank but with the range of weaponry and the speed of the tank, it was able to prove that it could get deep into the enemy grounds before the enemy knew, a big tactic of surprise. Armed with the Autocannon, the tank would take out other light vehicles to make sure it could not be reported to the enemy. But as more tanks arrived off the production lines all over the Cybran Nation, it made it clear that they needed something other than a very capable recon vehicle. Infantry support Ausf 1 (Ausf A2) After the number of recon vehicles hit the number that the Heer ordered, they started to play around with the turrets, designs and weaponry on the tank, coming up with an infantry support tank, capable of taking a lot of hits from tank destroyers, meaning it could stay in the combat scene for longer. The Autocannon rounds were changed around for a while, the Heer, trying to decide the best set of rounds in order to support the Infantry. After a few weeks of testing, they decided that 40 rounds of AP and 40 rounds of HE would support the vehicle for a while, so that the rounds would be able to last for a day until the supplies came back up from the local dump or truck supplie route. There was an upgrade in the number of rounds the MJ67s could store also with massive drum magazines. Infantry Support Ausf 2 (Ausf A3) The Ausf A2 was surprising with the amount of damage it could deal but as a number of the Ausf A2s got knocked out from enemy tank support, the Heer came up with another idea for the Infantry support which would make the Tanks pair up to be sucessful. The Ausf A2 had the autocannon for tearing up enemy light vehicles and infantry, but lacked the firepower to support the Infantry against Tanks, which lead the the Ausf A3 being created. Armed with the StuK 895 (90MM) main gun at first, the support vehicle was tested in combat, showing a remarkable shooting skill from the gunner and loader. The Heer then after a few campaigns decided to upgrade the main gun to the StuK 896 (120MM), which could engage a new range of targets with new shells to give at better combat support to the Infantry. Loaded with both the AP and HE rounds, it started to take over the job of the Ausf A2 while dealing a massive amount of damage. The Tank we able to engage both tanks but infantry and deal a successful amount of damage to knock out a whole squad or building in order to support the Infantry, meaning that they did not have to storm the building in order to move on. Yet, it was always the Company commander that made the decision to blow up the building, which normally meant that they won't fire due to the mistrust between the Infantry and Tank crews. Tank Support (Ausf B1) Following the successes of the A series of the Panzer V "Wespe", a new set of weapons and designs were created in order to support tanks like the smaller Panzers. The Ausf B1 was a new class of the Wespe, using a plasma cannon instead of a regular projectile weapon. The power of the Cannon proved that it was able to take out scores of infantry with a single shot, or take out a tank which the guns of the smaller Panzers could not. The Ausf B1 was changed from a class of tank to a Tank Destroyer, but as it is in the line of the Panzer V, it will feature on this page. As more and more Panzer V Ausf B1s were produced, the Heer had a decision to make for the future of the line, continue using the lighter tank designs or go to something bigger. Armour The armour of any tank is something to take into account when fielding them on the battlefield, and with the different Variants of the tank, the Heer decided to keep the armour the same thickness up until the Ausf B1. Ausf A series The Ausf A series had an all round armour thickness of 145 mm, proving that only very few Infantry held weapon systems could take out the tank. Only Plasma mines and Plasma cored RPGs could take out the A series, but small calber guns on tanks, roughly around 55mm upwards could take out the tank, but due to the angles of the armour and slopes on all the sides (not including the back) it made it harder for these guns to take them out, apart from Plasma weapons and 120MM+ cannons. Ausf B1 Due to the possiblity of the Ausf B1 contacting weapons larger an 120MM cannons, the Heer increased the armour to 175mm, which would be able to take a lot more hits against a number of weapons, and reduced the Plasma effectiveness to contact the armour. The type of material used was also changed, using a new material that is still classifed for the safety of the crews. Fieldment and Deployment The Panzer V should be fielded with heavy battle tanks to provide recon support, enabling the commanders to find new targets quickly.